About the Program

This project, funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, is a collaborative project with Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United that utilizes drone surveys, local oyster aquaculture farmers, and community volunteers to tackle the issue of marine debris.The primary objective of the initiative is to regularly map and monitor the distribution of marine debris on Deer Island using drone surveys. Once a month, drone images are analyzed to identify and pinpoint areas with high concentrations of marine debris, enabling targeted cleanup efforts.

Following the drone mapping, a contracted local oyster aquaculture farmer works to remove aquaculture gear and other large debris identified during the mapping process.Their expertise will be invaluable in navigating the delicate ecosystem and safely extracting debris without causing harm to the environment. In addition to the contracted cleanup efforts, regular volunteer cleanup events will be organized to supplement the contracted efforts through Mississippi Coastal Cleanup Program.